Why the BRAT diet is no longer recommended for an upset stomach — and what to eat instead (2024)

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Why the BRAT diet is no longer recommended for an upset stomach — and what to eat instead? ›

The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. However, many health professionals no longer recommend it due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.

Recent research. The use of cereals, rice and milk as a stop-gap eating plan for stomach upset has been validated as a more effective remedy to manage diarrhea than the BRAT diet by recent research in hospitals in South America and Asia.

The BRAT diet used to be a popular eating plan for children with an upset stomach. The diet is no longer as widely recommended because it's low in nutrients.

Beverages should be clear liquids ( Sprite, 7-Up, Tea, Ginger Ale ). NO DAIRY PRODUCTS. Follow this diet until diarrhea subsides for 24 hours. You may then gradually add soft, bland foods ( Scrambled eggs, noodles, mashed potatoes ) as tolerated.

Clear Liquid/ Bland Diet

Both children and adults need to drink plenty of fluids while they're sick to prevent dehydration. Water is good, but adding broth, a sports drink, or a rehydration solution such as Pedialyte can help replace lost electrolytes. Broth or broth-based soups (chicken noodle, vegetable, etc.)

If your stomach is upset, Mills recommends eating: Warm cereals like Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice and oatmeal. Cold cereals like Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Rice Chex and Special K. English muffin (halved) with peanut butter.

Toast is another easily digested, low fiber food that will help to firm up your stool. For added nutrition, you should feel free to spread jam on your toast if you can stomach it. You will probably want to avoid butter and peanut butter, as they are high in fat, which is hard on your stomach.

A lack of protein can make nausea feel even worse, so look to protein-packed foods, such as nuts — even peanut butter, as long as you're not allergic — that are easy to digest. They'll quickly replenish your depleted energy and help keep your nausea at bay.

Peanut butter could be added to the BRAT diet in small amounts. It's easily digested. But a lot of it might cause belly discomfort because it's high in fat.

Eat BRAT diet foods

Soups: clear broth, such as chicken, vegetable or beef. Liquids: cranberry, apple and grape juice, tea (without caffeine), water. Snacks: canned peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, crackers, cream of wheat, eggs, gelatin, oatmeal, creamy peanut butter.

How to reset gut after stomach bug? ›

The most important thing to do is to rest the stomach and intestine. You can do this by not eating solid food for a while and drinking only clear liquids. As your symptoms go away, you can start eating soft bland foods that are easy to digest.

There's no medicine for stomach flu. Antibiotics don't work on viruses — they're for bacterial infections. The best thing you can do to help your immune system do its work is to stay home and rest, stay hydrated and eat a little if you can. Give your body the energy it needs to fight the infection.

Other fruits to avoid are cherries, grapes, figs, currants, raisins, rhubarb, seeded berries. Avoid extremely hot or cold beverages. Avoid Alcohol. Avoid coffee and caffeinated sodas.

Chicken soup is a staple for upset stomachs for a reason. It provides vitamins, protein and other nutrients, and it can help keep you hydrated. You don't need to use a lot of different ingredients to get the benefits either. This basic chicken soup recipe can help you feel better in no time.

Refined grains, including white bread, white rice or pasta. Lean proteins, such as tofu, skinless poultry or white fish. Steamed or boiled vegetables, including carrots, squash, green beans or potatoes. Soft fruits, such as bananas, avocados, pumpkin, melons and canned fruit.

This bland diet involved eating bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, which is where the name comes from. Although this diet was the gold standard for many years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and our Plano pediatricians no longer recommend this diet exclusively.

You might wonder what to eat when your stomach is upset or if you have trouble keeping anything down. Bland foods and clear liquids, such as crackers, white rice, toast, and broth, help ease diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It's important to stay hydrated and fuel your body so it can recover.

The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) was once a staple of most pediatricians' recommendations for children with an upset stomach. The idea was that it gave the gut a chance to rest and reduced the amount of stool produced.